


A Promise

by computerblue



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Light Angst, Minor Character Death, Other, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22280005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/computerblue/pseuds/computerblue
Summary: Late nights can be hard when you're feeling alone.(Blue Lions route, immediately after chapter 9, tried to keep Byleth gender neutral)
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	A Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Hope I'm not too late to the 3h party because I just got a switch and a whole lotta love for Dimitri.

The night offers no solace when your dreams are an abyss.

The young professor silently paced the corridors of Garreg Mach Monastery. The small dormitory room had only shrunk in size in the past few days. Everything was collapsing in on itself. Not even the open walkways of the church could release the young professor from their crumbling world.

In an instant Jeralt was taken. Sothis sacrificed.

Sleep itself only extended the memories into the unconscious realm. And so Byleth walked. Walked to stave of the thoughts, the loneliness.

But tonight, Byleth wasn’t exactly alone.

The young professor heard movement as they neared the training grounds. A sliver of light crept out from under the door. The professor drew closer and heard the dull thuds of a training weapon beat against the training dummies.

The young professor frowned. It wasn’t particularly their business to intrude on whoever else used the night to help themselves, but it also wouldn’t have been ideal if one of the students began to lose their focus in classes.

Was it a student of Manuela’s? Or maybe Hanneman’s? Or was it someone from the Blue Lions? No member of the Knights of Seiros would be up this late when they spend their every waking moment defending the kingdom. It was a student. And whoever it was they were training much too hard for someone who had work to do the next day.

The sound of panting had transformed into low growls as the dull beating of the training dummies escalated into a pounding.

Byleth glanced around before silently slipping past the doors.

The normally daylit grounds were nearly swallowed by darkness. The only salvation were a few lanterns lit spread just out of distance of whoever was training. Muttering interspersed with growls bounced around in the darkness.

“Halt. Make yourself known,” the professor demanded.

There was no answer as the wooden spear supplied the training figure with something beyond a simple training session. There was intent behind each jab. Harm, maim, kill.

The professor tried to make out the mutterings of the person enraptured in their own violence. There were whispers of revenge, gnashing of teeth, promises of death. Someone would pay. 

“Dimitri?”

The frenzy came to a halt with a loud crack.

The young prince whipped around. Turbulent cerulean eyes darted under messy locks of blonde trying to slice through the darkness. He was hunched and panting. Sweat glistened on his face. Untamed. Wild. Fists curled around two separate halves of a wooden spear. Wood splinters dusted the floor.

Byleth stepped forward, closer to the warm light of a lantern.

“Oh! Professor!” 

The storm passed in the young prince’s eyes as he registered his mentor. His back straightened as he tried to calm his ragged breathing.

“What are you doing up at this-”

“What are you doing up at this-”

A chuckle slipped past Dimitri’s lips. A glimpse of a smile graced Byleth’s face. The professor crossed their arms and cocked an eyebrow. The prince already knew Byleth wasn’t going to repeat themself.

“I suppose I am up later than I should be,” Dimitri conceded, “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t sleep tonight. But what about you, Professor? Why are you up at this hour?”

“Neither could I,” they admitted with a sigh.

“I thought some light training would tire me out.”

“Is this really your idea of light training?”

Again, the prince laughed. He looked down at the broken spear he held in his hands and a grimace flashed across his soft face. Dimitri looked up but refused to meet the eyes of his professor.

“I know and I’m sorry,” he whispered. The professor strained to hear him and if it wasn’t for the silence of the night, they probably wouldn’t have heard it at all.

“Don’t worry about it,” Byleth sighed lightly and held their hand out, “Just please return to your room for the night.”

“O-of course,” disappointment weighed the prince down as his shoulders slumped in defeat. He placed the two halves of the spear in the professor’s hands. 

“Goodnight, Dimitri and I’ll see you in class in the morning.”

Byleth turned and made for the door. 

“Wait professor!”

A strong hand slipped around Byelth’s wrist and held firm. Byleth turned back to look at Dimitri. Mint eyes met deeply curious blue ones.

“I… I’m sorry to ask this of you but,” Dimitri glanced away, “Would you spar with me?”

A brief silence hung between the two. Dimitri sheepishly glanced back into Byleth’s eyes. The warm glow of the lanterns sent shadows dancing across the prince’s face. While it exaggerated the prince’s poor sleeping habits it did manage to hide the flush dusting his cheeks.

Byleth shook their head and sighed, “Fine. But then you’re done for the night. Okay?”

“Of course. Thank you, professor,” a smile blossomed on Dimitri’s face and he gave the professor’s wrist a light squeeze.

Dimitri continued to hold his professor’s gaze. An ocean of emotions crashed in that beautiful blue of his. A small gasp stole Byleth’s breath as Dimitri’s eyes sparkled with so many emotions. Byleth felt as if they would drown. Something Dimitri said in the Goddess Tower rushed through through their mind.

Perhaps it would make more sense for me to wish that we'll be together forever.

As if he could read their thoughts Dimitri quickly retracted his hand from Byleth’s wrist.

“Well, let’s get started, shall we?” He chuckled nervously as he turned to grab new sparring weapons.

A sword for Byleth. Another spear for himself.

Prince and professor stared across at each other, bracing for whoever would make the first move.

It was Dimitri. What an impulsive prince.

In the end the prince was taken down with one final swipe of the legs. The wooden tip of the professor’s sword just barely hovered over the skin of the prince’s neck.

“You always best me, Professor,” Dimitri chuckled to himself as he again avoided the stony gaze of his professor.

“Maybe if you weren’t training so hard before you could have put up a better fight.” 

Byleth used the tip of the blade to ever so gently tip Dimitri’s chin up. The prince let his eyes follow the length of the blade until his eyes met with Byleth’s. For just a second they were ever so wistful.

“Professor, would you strike me down if I became a monster,” Dimitri’s eyes grew distant.

Byleth quickly lowered the sword and dropped it away from the prince. They crouched down next to him. 

“Don’t speak like that,” Byleth’s voice almost wavered with shock, fear even.

“Please, Professor. You don’t know what I feel, how I- ”

“Dimitri. You will not become a monster.”

“How can you know that?” His eyes were desperate for an answer. He was begging for salvation.

“I won’t let you. No matter how far you think you’ve strayed into the dark I will- everyone in Blue Lions will bring you back,” Byleth reached out a hand to the prince. They put on a small smile, but a bundle of nerves tightened in their chest. They fought back the sting of tears.

Please take my hand. Stay with us. Stay with me.

The prince stared down at the hand in front of him. His eyes were frantic, and he hesitated. Confusion, fear, doubt crashed behind his eyes.

Dimitri reached out and softly set his hand on top of Byleth’s. He lowered his head in shame. Byleth gripped his hand. Their other hand came up to cusp Dimitri's between their two. The professor stood up, bringing up the prince with them. 

I promise, Dimitri.

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda wanna make a follow up to this but it's the time skip but idk if this is even good??? lol idk if anyone reads this and likes it let me know if you'd want a follow up.   
> also concrit is always welcome.


End file.
